Aim and Objectives

The Ubuntu Network seeks to enable and support post primary teacher educators to effectively integrate Development Education (DE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into their professional practice.

In doing this, the Ubuntu Network has three primary objectives:

• To generate interest and enthusiasm for DE and ESD among the post primary teacher education community and to create a disposition of engagement with the issues.

• To support teacher educators to design, deliver and evaluate DE/ESD based interventions within their teaching and professional practice, and to ensure that an action research element is included where possible.

• To establish and maintain a collaborative environment in which network members share and discuss knowledge and experience of DE/ESD issues and methodologies, and work together on collaborative DE/ESD based initiatives.

Network Structure

The Ubuntu Network is made up of individuals with a particular interest DE/ESD and its inclusion in initial teacher education. These include:

Academic participants (teacher educators) - are involved in building their own personal understanding of DE/ESD issues and methogologies. This is achieved through participation in DE/ESD workshops and events, and by engaging in action research that explores ways of embedding DE/ESD into their professional practice. For more information, see the Projects Page.

NGO participants - provide an insight into DE/ESD conducted in the non-formal education sector. They contribute to DE/ESD interventions within teacher education.

Other DE/ESD practicioners- e.g. other networks, facilitates sharing of learning on DE/ESD practice, nationally and internationally.

The Network office is located at the Department of Education and Professional Studies in UL. The Network staff is made up of fulltime Network Coordinator - Deirdre Hogan and research support is provided by a dedicated Research Associate - Mags Liddy.

It is directed and controlled by a Steering Committee:

Audrey Bryan, UCD; Maria Campbell, St. Angela's College of Education, Sligo; Micheal Collins, TCD; Paul Conway, UCC; Mella Cusack, CDVEC CDU; Christopher Farrington, DICE (Development and Intercultural Education at Primary Level); Martin Fitzgerald, TI; Ann FitzGibbon, Trinity College Dublin; Ruth Gallagher, Amnesty International; Tom Geary, UL; Jim Gleeson, UL; Charlotte Holland, DCU; Gerry Jeffers, NUI Maynooth; Elaine Keane, NUI Galway; Margaret Keane, DCU; Claire Lyons, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick; Rose Malone, NUI Maynooth; Kieran Meagher, College of Art & Design, LIT; Tony Murphy, NCAD; Elaine Nevin, Eco-UNESCO; Barbara Raftery, Presentation Convent, Portlaoise; Elaine McDonald, Mater Dei Institute of Education; Tom Roche, Just Forests; Michael Ryan, TI; Roland Tormey, UL